Homemade Dark Chocolate Ice Cream

Dark Chocolate Ice Cream, originally uploaded by ParsecTraveller.

I know it's not ice cream season, but just bear with me... ;)
A while back, a good friend of mine brought back some dark chocolate from France. After experimenting with many different ice cream flavors, including rose and lemon verbena, I decided I needed to make a good and simple chocolate ice cream.
Tasty ice cream can be surprisingly easy to make, and toying with a basic vanilla recipe can yield delicious results. In this case though, the chocolate needed to be melted with hot milk and cream, and then chilled, which added a few hours to the whole process.

Heartpaths

If you were able to peer into my brain, it would look like someone's garage that's being used for pointless storage. You know what I'm talking about? When the garage door opens and from floor to ceiling, random items fill every square inch in a haphazard fashion because they are afraid they might need it someday? Yep. I'm a hoarder.
As a result, I often have to rely on well-organized brains. And the person who wrote the following article, Robbin, has a the skills to say some things I think about a lot but have a hard time conveying.
I thought this article had some valid points. Points I think about a lot. My dear friend calls it the "heartpath." As in, "Does what I am about to do in my business or life have a heartpath, or is it void of soul and true purpose?"
Anyway, I hope you'll check out this article from Brains on Fire (a company with a definite heartpath).
CLASSY PEOPLE NEVER LET YOU DOWN

A Father's Day poem for paddlers

To all of you dadswho would rather be paddlingthan opening giftsamid family prattling.
To all of you dads,be you homely or dashing,who want to get outon waves cresting and crashing.
I hear you, I get it.I feel the same way.But I think you should hangwith your family today.
(Unless, of course,your kids paddle, too.In that case, get out!This poem’s not for you.)
Think for a momentof all they have doneto allow you to paddleand have so much fun.
They put up with your gearhanging in the back yard.They tolerate neoprene stink--and that’s hard!
They squeeze past your kayakto get to the car.They don’t laugh aloudwhen you say “pub” not “bar.”
They let you buy rescue knives,tow belts and flares,and assemble your kitsfor first aid and repairs.
They know all the acronyms:CLAP, PFDBCU, ACAVHF, LTPD.
They deal with the sandand the water and dirt.They’re even OKwith you wearing a skirt.
So stay home and celebratefamily today.Hang out with your kids.Hear what they say.
For despite your addictionto paddling, it seems,your children still love you.You’re the dad of their dreams.
--Sharon

Ozaukee Interurban Trail

This morning was a beautiful morning. Less humidity, breeze from the WNW, filtered sunshine. I actually had to wait to ride until the temperature came up above 70!
Prepared the road bike for a ride. It was 2.5 miles from where I am staying to the Interurban Trail. I got on the trail at Jay Road heading North. I mile north, the trail enters Sheboygan County. I knew the trail was open to Cedar Grove, and perhaps up to Oostburg. I was ready to find out.
I was a little concerned with the breeze. I wanted to ride North so I had the wind with me on the way back. The trail parallels a railroad track. The trees along the tracks sheltered the trail, so I was not fighting the wind.
In Cedar Grove, the trail takes to the streets for a short section, then back along the tracks. on to Oostburg. There, the trail ends at the South end of town at a plastics company. To make sure it did not continue North, I rode on through town following the "Bicycle Route" signs. Where the tracks exit town, along the tracks is a gravel access road with a cable over the road. Guess that was the end of the trail for today.
Stopped at a little park across from the bakery before heading back. It was time for some granola bars and G2. Uneventful ride back to Jay Road.
There a a couple decent hills (thankfully short). I was happy the bike (and my legs) performed well on the road. I feel I am reay to tackle Hy-way 275 and a ride south to Hy-way 34 when I get home.
21.3 miles in 1:38. 13 mph. I was pleased. Maybe tomorrow explore the Interurban Trail south from Jay road tomorrow morning before I head to Kenosha.

High Quality: Okatsune Pruners and Shears

If you want the best pruners, buy Okatsune. I was lucky enough to be introduced to this brand by Miles and Bobby at Aukland Nursery in Walterboro, South Carolina. For the last eight months I have been using Okatsune pruners and I am smitten. These pruners are better than Felcos.

Okatsune pruners are hand-forged from "Izumo Yasuki Steel" which is the same steel used to make Japanese swords. The dangerously sharp blade seems to slide through stems and small branches, making clean cuts. And they make a satisfying sound when they finish a cut- like a knife on a chopping block.
These pruners cost about $40-50 and are well worth the price. You will probably call to thank me after you buy your first pair.

When it rains...

After a rather negative entry on Thursday, it was nice to see the beauty of life being reinstated over the last two days. Yesterday morning on my ride to work I had another meeting with "the poser" -- although I'm not sure who should be calling who names here. There's this old guy I see running in Surfers Paradise every so often as I ride to work. We always give each other a wave, but for some reason, the wave is more like a pose than a wave -- as if each of us is waving to a huge crowd of admirers clapping on the side of the road. I don't have an explanation for how this came about, just that it started one day shortly after I commenced this commute, and it happens everytime our paths cross now. Still, it's a nice way to start a day I guess.

Speaking of yesterday's "issue", I was specifically called into my boss' office today to be told that they approve of my lifestyle (like they had a choice there), but still have the issues that I mentioned yesterday. Maybe they'll come around later, maybe not. Maybe there's something I'm not being told. Either way, I'd be happy to let this issue die for now. I did get to round off the week with a ride home in beautiful rain. It was a real downpour, and it felt so pure! If only it would do that more often.

So onto today's ride, and a chance to enjoy the fruits of the downpour in Currumbin Valley this morning.









As can be seen from the swollen creeks and waterfalls, the rain of this week left a legacy. So many people complain about rain, the way it stops them from doing things, or it's too cold or whatever. I take a different view. If it's too cold wear Goretex, and it won't stop you from doing anything. Instead, get out and enjoy it, look at the new life it creates, the beauty it creates in a once barren landscape. Immerse yourself in it, but just do it! Once you let go of the pre-conceived "rain is bad" notions, you'll realise that it isn't so "bad" after all, and that feeling is quite liberating, and you're left to enjoy the beauty, free of distraction and worry, and free of the interference of those who are coddling indoors because "rain is bad".

Life at Home

This post is for Jonny and Ming Ming, and also for Joanne Noragon ... they have missed reading about what happens around this place.

....We have drunk lots of tea..white tea, green tea, ginger tea....we love them all.



George had a mountain of ash logs delivered, we then had the great fun of wheel barrowing them around the fruit garden, up round the house, through the vegetable garden and up to the log store.

Our cheeks were glowing rosy by the time we finished that little job.

If the predictions of an arctic winter should come to pass, then at least we have plenty of logs to feed the Rayburn and the fires. The log man didn't come alone, he had two wonderful canine friends with him...



One was very shy and stayed out of sight, however, this little chap was determined to have some attention, he is called Monty.

The shy one is a rescue dog. He spent the first nine months of his life confined to a kennel, no walks, no interaction. The log man rescued him and he now has a wonderful life with Monty.

Show-off Sparky

Bennie plays hide and seek behind the books

The cats are having such a lot of fun - days are spent hunting mice and rats, running up trees, chasing Toby-dog, stalking the hens.

Then they spend cosy evenings indoors...Ben likes to find new and interesting places to hide from Sparky.

Here she is tucked between the wall and the books in our bedroom.

Toby watching the hens

Toby continues to plod along - here he is focused on the hens as they ramble around the woodland, he finds them fascinating...so do the cats.

Frankie, Boadicea, Xiao Ji and Isadora

Here are the girls. Their new feathers are coming through thick and fast now, their combs are pinking up and they are happy and healthy.

They roam around the woodland from dawn to dusk scratting in the soil and doing chickeny things.

Today we left the woodland gate open and allowed them the freedom of the garden. It didn't take them long to make their way across the gardens to the kitchen door. It was almost like old times with the other hens. Their characters are developing and they come running when we call or whistle for them.

Harry is settling well into school, he still gets tired at the end of the day, but then he is only four and a half years old! He has a small speaking part in the school nativity play - he is to be the inn keeper. George and I will be at his school a week on Monday when he makes his debut.

This little poppet is doing well, she is on the brink of walking by herself...just not quite ready to relinquish her hold on someone's finger or the furniture, even though they are scarcely needed.

I have also been having a major sort through my books and clothes. Five huge sacks of clothes have gone to a charity shop in Louth, I have also thinned out some of the books from the Dressing Room. If I could repeat this exercise many times over I could finally begin to live clutter-free...it won't happen, but I keep trying.

xx

PS I am so excited about seeing you both in the summer. Three whole weeks, wonderful!

The secret life of roots

By ashen roots the (fire pinks) blow

Tough roots among the rocks

The parable of the sower

The (gradual) disintegration of the persistence of memory

The dim tangled roots of things

Erosion, so they say, is the root of all evil today. (This is often misquoted.)

Short Bike Ride

Sunny and about 30 degrees, figured a good day for first ride on the studded tires this season. Parked at the Wabash Trace Trailhead. Trail looked good along ISD and out from the trailhead. The trail had been plowed. Trail surface was sections of snow-pack, ice, wet, and dry.

At the bus barn, rode the street to Mosquito Creek bridge. Was planning to ride the Lake Manawa trail. Unfortunately, that trail has not been plowed. (see photo) A little bit too heavy to ride through.

The bike computer was not registering. Saw that the wheel (and therefore tire) was mounted backward. Was going to ride anyway, except for the trail conditions.

I had selected gloves a little too thin for the weather. Decided to head to the bike shop instead of finding a different place to ride (trails past Lewis Central we also not plowed.

Recently, I have been riding my road bike. Sure is different (more work) riding the hardtail with studded tires!

Replacement bike rack for the car was in and ready - Zach exchanged the racks.

Weather is forecast to turn cold the next few days. Hope we get more "normal" weather yet this year.

Willow Gulch and Broken Bow Arch

Thelast hike of our adventure along Hole in the Rock Road (for this trip, anyway!)was Willow Gulch to see Broken Bow Arch. We were both really looking forward to this hike, as the guide book described it as "having everything". Namely, we were anxious to see what it would be like because it was supposed to have a perennial stream which meant, possibly, a lot more vegetation than what we had seen so far on our canyon hikes. Willow Gulch certainly did not disappoint in that respect! We saw our first real spring greenery of the trip, as the cottonwoods along the trail were just starting to pop out with their spring foliage. It was a beautiful hike for sure!






































The trail went back and forth between going directly down the wash and traversing sandy desert between different sections of the gulch. Our favorite sections were the ones right in the wash in the middle of the gulch, because these areas had plenty of shade and eventually, plenty of water! It was nice to hike along a stream for a change :-) The trees all along the way were beautiful and when we finally rounded the bend which gave us our first view of Broken Bow Arch, all we could say was "WOW!".




















































We were actually starting to think we must have taken a wrong turn or something, because our guide book described the hike as being around 2 miles to the arch and we felt like we had walked 3 miles or more by the time the arch came into view. Jessica was walking ahead of me when she rounded a bend and exclaimed "I found it!". I was thrilled to catch up with her and see the arch up ahead, with a nice reflection of the arch in the waters of the perennial stream! Talk about a photographer's paradise! Jessica walked ahead again to get a closer view of the arch while I stopped to make photos of the arch and its reflection in the water. A few minutes later I caught up with her and we had a lunch snack at the foot of the arch. Again, the scale of it from a distance was deceiving, as the arch was positively HUGE when we got closer to it. It must have been two to three hundred feet high! Definitely another major highlight of our trip :-)

We Gots Incredible Loot!!!

We are indebted to Jazzie (click) for putting us bloggers together for a Christmas gift exchange. Well... we received a most ingenious Xmas package from Cleo, Winston and Amiee that made us so happy and bright!
Here we are investigating the contents of this huge box!
OMD! Look at these stockings! Each one has our name on it! I, Sammie, have never had a personalized stocking! And being as it's Avalon's first Christmas (cheer cheer!), she is one lucky pupper!
Ava is furry interested in this bear-bear puppy!
Mom's and Dad's heartstrings are pulled tight as they gaze upon the Hounddogs' bootiful artwork on Ozzie's stocking. They wish she was here to share! (She gets to wander on her own and we're furry jelly!)
Well... now I was never very good at ripping packages apart, but it seems that Avalon's a natural. Here she is... doin' her thing and enjoyin' Christmas in every way!
We are feelin' jes so grateful fur everything that we've been sent!
Oh my... and look at these! COOKIES! GIMME SOME!!!
What is not in these pitchurs is something else my pawrents got: a most beautiful (and Large) candle with a Cinnamon Blend smell, now filling up our home with its lovely scents. How can we ever thank you for these amazing, creative and fabulous gifts. Mom here: the dogs are still playing with your wonderful and "sound-producing" gifts that they can't get enough of!

Here is a movie of us... loving your cookies... and wishing you a furry, furry Merry Christmas! Thank you so very, very much...